NBA team owners last week crossed the Rubicon, locking out the players as negotiations over a new labor agreement fell apart. But while the owners and the players union battle over how to split the league's roughly $4 billion worth of revenue, an extended lockout could bring China's basketball fans a barnstorming tour featuring one of the game's brightest stars.

　　David Gray/Reuters2010年7月26日，北京，科比（Kobe Bryant）在一档电视访谈节目开播前朝观众挥手。

　　鉴于有关新劳资协议的谈判破裂，美国职业篮球联赛(NBA)的球队老板上周痛下决心，禁止球员参赛。但尽管球队老板和球员工会还在就如何分食大约40亿美元的联赛收入而相互争执，停摆的延期或许能给中国篮球迷带来一场有NBA最耀眼的一位明星参加的巡回表演赛。

　　The Los Angeles Times reports that Kobe Bryant is considering an exhibition tour in China, where his jersey has long been the No. 1 seller. The newspaper said the Los Angeles Lakers megastar and his agent, Rob Pelinka, are trying to put together the tour with a number of players, citing Minnesota Timberwolves rookie forward Derrick Williams. Williams, who is also represented by Pellinka, was drafted second out of the University of Arizona in last month's NBA draft, and said he would like to join such a tour.

　　Joe Tan/Reuters2010年7月29日，广州，科比（Kobe Bryant）和中国学员一起参加了一次篮球训练营。据《洛杉矶时报》(Los Angeles Times)报道，科比•布莱恩特(Kobe Bryant)正考虑来华进行巡回表演赛。科比的球衣销量在中国一直稳坐销量榜的冠军。《洛杉矶时报》援引明尼苏达森林狼队的新秀前锋德里克•威廉姆斯（Derrick Williams）的话说，科比这位洛杉矶湖人队的超级巨星与其经纪人佩林卡(Rob Pelinka)正试图号召多位球星参与两人牵头组织的巡回表演赛。威廉姆斯的经纪人也是佩林卡，他上个月在NBA的选秀大会上以亚利桑那大学（University of Arizona）榜眼的身份被森林狼队挑中。

　　An exhibition league in China for U.S. pros isn't a unique idea--SportsBusiness Journal reported that Wasserman Media Group, which also represents a number of NBA players, including this season's most valuable player, Derrick Rose, in April began pitching an exhibition tournament in China in case of an extended lockout.

　　美国专业体育明星到中国举行表演巡回赛并非新鲜概念。此前SportsBusiness Journal曾报道，体育经纪公司Wasserman Media Group（该公司也是多位NBA球星的经纪公司，其中包括本赛季最有价值球员德里克•罗斯(Derrick Rose)）今年4月就开始四处推销在中国的一次表演巡回赛，以防停摆延期。

　　All the reports are careful to state that such plans are still at a very preliminary stage--it seems clear that most parties want to hammer out an agreement and get on with the next NBA season on time. But with such an acrimonious split and grim prospects for a quick resolution, a number of players are examining other options if NBA arenas remain dark. Bryant's Laker teammate Pau Gasol has said he would prefer to return to his native Spain to play ball if the season is canceled but said China was a possible alternative.

　　所有报道都谨慎指出，此类巡回表演赛计划仅仅处于起步阶段。看来多数当事方都希望能敲定一项协议，以便下个赛季能准时开赛。但鉴于分歧如此之大，快速解决争议的前景又如此渺茫，如果下个赛季无法准时开赛，许多球员也开始考虑别的选择。科比在湖人队的队友加索尔（Pau Gasol）说，如果下个赛季被取消，他宁可回到祖国西班牙打球，但他说中国也是一个可能的选择。

　　The New York Daily News is feeding the rumor mill too, saying that New York Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudamire would consider joining Bryant's Chinese tour if he couldn't play in the NBA, citing a person close to the all-star.

　　《纽约每日新闻》（New York Daily News）也在爆料各种传闻。该报援引一位接近科比的知情人士的话说，纽约尼克斯队前锋阿玛尔•斯塔德迈尔（Amar'e Stoudamire）如果无法在NBA打球，他会考虑加入科比组织的中国巡回赛。